System and method for swapping event tickets

ABSTRACT

A system and method for exchanging or selling event tickets, including a database, a computing device, a seller&#39;s mobile device and a buyer&#39;s mobile device, a network connecting the computing device and the mobile devices, a plurality of modules executing on the computing device including an authentication module, a geolocation information, and a tickets information module, wherein the geolocation information module tracks the geolocations of the one or more users&#39; mobile devices and verifies that the geolocations of the seller&#39;s mobile device and the buyer&#39;s mobile device are within a same venue as a prerequisite to the confirmation platform module facilitating an exchange of tickets.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The technology relates to the field of applications for mobile devices.More specifically, the technology provides an application for exchangingtickets for events among users.

BACKGROUND

Several systems exist for selling or exchanging tickets for events.Historically, the most common way tickets were exchanged was bypurchasing the ticket from the event venue. Sometimes, tickets were alsoavailable from external sources, such as a Ticketmaster location. Withadvancing technology, ticket exchanges have become more efficient andconvenient.

With the advent of the internet and widespread electronic communication,many event venues and ticket providers made tickets available forpurchase online. In some instances, the tickets were sent to thepurchasers. In others, the purchaser picked the tickets up upon arrivalat the venue. In addition, third-party aftermarket ticket services, suchas StubHub, are also commonly used today. These services allow users tobuy and sell tickets amongst themselves, creating an aftermarket wherebyinterested parties can find tickets to events that may already be soldout.

Direct event-goer interaction and sales has improved ticketavailability, and online exchange systems have made ticket search andpurchase processes more efficient. However, there remains a need in theart for a convenient manner of managing and exchanging tickets afterpurchase, up to and including during the event itself. Systems have beencreated to assist with the management of a user's ticket portfolio, suchas the technology disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 8,175,926. The '926patent's technology helps the owner of a variety of tickets to organizeand manage how they are used and distributed. The technology isprimarily directed to an organizational user, who may have purchased alarge quantity of tickets to benefit from bulk purchase pricing andwishes to ensure the least amount of waste resulting from unusedtickets. While the '926 patent's technology is useful in managing anorganization's ticket portfolio, so to speak, among its employees, thereremains a need in the art for a user exchange system that allowsseparate and unrelated users to contact one another and exchange ticketsduring the event.

SUMMARY

Accordingly, it is an object of the present technology to provide asystem and process for connecting users wishing to exchange ticketsimmediately and in real-time. The present technology provides aninteractive application through which event-goers can contact oneanother and exchange tickets, preferably at the event venue itself.

For example, an event-goer may have already purchased tickets for anevent when an emergency arises immediately before the event begins. Theevent-goer may locate a nearby user seeking tickets to that event,contact that user using the present technology, negotiate a price forexchange of the tickets, and schedule a time and place to make theexchange. In some embodiments, the present technology may includelocation technology that allows the users seeking the exchange to locateone another. In some embodiments, the application may also create anidentification code that can be displayed through the application toassist the users in locating one another at a particular location.

The invention is also useful when a user has been enjoying the event fora short time but needs to leave due to an emergency or just simplychooses to leave early. Rather than waste the tickets by leaving theseats empty, the user may seek to exchange the ticket with another userat the event who would like to improve his or her seat location. Thetechnology is also particularly useful for users who intend on remainingat the event but simply wish to exchange seats. In each instance, thepresent technology permits the users to contact one another andnegotiate terms on an exchange, as well as assisting the users infinding one another once an agreement has been reached.

To accomplish its objectives, the present technology employs a systemand method for connecting users and facilitating exchanging tickets toevents. The users sign up for the service on their mobile devices usinguser authentication information. In some embodiments, the authenticationinformation may include the user's mobile phone number, a pin, ausername, and/or a password. In some embodiments, the user isauthenticated via SMS, unique pin, etc. Users can also sign up via theirFacebook Login. Once the user signs up, he or she enters theauthentication information to access the system. In preferableembodiments, the system is granted access to the mobile device'slocation (using GPS technology or otherwise) and the mobile device'spush notification system.

In some embodiments, upon opening the mobile application, the user ispresented with the application home screen, which provides a listing ofavailable tickets. If the application has been granted access to themobile device's location through location services, the tickets listedon the home screen may be limited to those available from other usersconfirmed to be within a defined radius (e.g., 0.25 miles) of the user'smobile device (e.g., in the venue). The user may also use a searchfunction to find tickets based on a particular event, date, event type,etc. In preferred embodiments, the system confirms that the user iswithin the venue such as by GPS or other location means discussedherein. If the user is interested in purchasing any of the ticketslisted, he or she may select a ticket in the listing to access a detailspage, which may include further information about the event, the useroffering the ticket for sale (“Seller”), the price sought, and otherapplicable information. In some embodiments, the Seller may be referredto as a flipper. Some or all of this information may also be provided inthe list of tickets on the home page or based on the search, in someembodiments.

If the user decides he or she would like to purchase the selectedticket, the application provides a negotiation platform. The Seller'sasking price is listed and begins the negotiations. The user seeking topurchase the ticket (“Buyer”) may place an offer for the ticket throughthe application's negotiation platform. In some embodiments, the Sellermay be referred to as a getter. Upon submitting an offer, the Buyer'smobile device may display an “awaiting response” or other similarmessage while the Seller considers the Buyer's offer. In certainembodiments, the Buyer may also have the opportunity to cancel the offerprior to the Seller's response.

When the Buyer submits the offer, the Seller of the ticket is notified.If the application has been granted access to the Seller's mobiledevice's push notification system, the notification may be providedthrough a push notification. Other notification techniques, such as atext message or email, are also available. Upon receiving notificationof the offer, the Seller may access the application to review the termsof the offer. The Seller may choose to reject the offer, make acounter-offer, or open a negotiation chat window through which theinterested Buyer and Seller may negotiate further and finalize terms.The application allows the Seller to simultaneously consider offers frommultiple users for the same ticket. If an agreement is reached, theSeller can confirm the deal has been finalized to remove the sold ticketfrom consideration by other interested users.

Upon completion of the sale, the application preferably will assist theBuyer and Seller in locating one another (e.g., in the venue). Locationassistance can employ GPS technology and/or indoor positioning systems,such as Apple's iBeacon, Google's Eddystone, and the like. Location(s)may also be determined and/or confirmed by each of the Buyer and Sellerbeing connected to the same Wi-Fi network, such as a Wi-Fi networkassociated with the venue. Further, the application preferably willprovide a unique identification code that both the Buyer and Seller candisplay on their mobile devices, thereby allowing them to identify oneanother in crowded event locations. Upon meeting face to face, the Buyerand Seller can exchange the tickets and payment, if payment has notalready been made electronically through the mobile application.

In some embodiments, a system for exchanging event tickets is provided,including a database, a computing device, one or more mobile devices,including a seller's mobile device and a buyer's mobile device, anetwork connecting the computing device and the one or more users'mobile devices, a plurality of modules including authentication module,a geolocation information module for tracking geolocations of the one ormore users' mobile devices, a tickets information module, anotifications module, a negotiations platform module, and a confirmationplatform module for facilitating an exchange of tickets, wherein thegeolocation information module tracks the geolocations of the one ormore users' mobile devices and verifies that the geolocations of theseller's mobile device and the buyer's mobile device are within a samevenue as a prerequisite to the confirmation platform module facilitatingan exchange of tickets.

Those skilled in the art will appreciate the many alterations andadditions available to the described application. The present technologyis not limited to the embodiments and arrangements described above.Other objects of the present technology and its particular features andadvantages will become more apparent from consideration of the followingdrawings and detailed description of the technology.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic representation of a system according to exemplaryembodiments of the present technology.

FIG. 2 is a schematic representation of a method that might be employedby the Seller using the system of FIG. 1 according to exemplaryembodiments of the present technology.

FIG. 3 is a schematic representation of a method that might be employedby the Buyer using the system of FIG. 1 according to exemplaryembodiments of the present technology.

FIG. 4 is a schematic representation of a method of authenticating auser of the system of FIG. 1 according to exemplary embodiments of thepresent technology.

FIG. 5 is a schematic representation of a method of using the system ofFIG. 1 according to exemplary embodiments of the present technology.

FIG. 6 is a schematic representation of a method of using the system ofFIG. 1 according to exemplary embodiments of the present technology.

FIG. 7 is a depiction of a login screen employed by exemplaryembodiments of the system of FIG. 1 according to exemplary embodimentsof the present technology.

FIG. 8 is a depiction of a sign-up screen employed by exemplaryembodiments of the system of FIG. 1 according to exemplary embodimentsof the present technology.

FIG. 9 is a depiction of a permissions screen employed by exemplaryembodiments of the system of FIG. 1 according to exemplary embodimentsof the present technology.

FIG. 10 is a depiction of a PIN-code-entry screen employed by exemplaryembodiments of the system of FIG. 1 according to exemplary embodimentsof the present technology.

FIG. 11 is a depiction of a main menu screen employed by exemplaryembodiments of the system of FIG. 1 according to exemplary embodimentsof the present technology.

FIG. 12 is a depiction of an available-ticket-list screen employed byexemplary embodiments of the system of FIG. 1 according to exemplaryembodiments of the present technology.

FIG. 13 is a depiction of a post-tickets screen employed by exemplaryembodiments of the system of FIG. 1 according to exemplary embodimentsof the present technology.

FIG. 14 is a depiction of a take-photos screen for posting ticketsemployed by exemplary embodiments of the system of FIG. 1 according toexemplary embodiments of the present technology.

FIG. 15 is a depiction of a take-photos screen for posting ticketsemployed by exemplary embodiments of the system of FIG. 1 according toexemplary embodiments of the present technology.

FIG. 16 is a depiction of a preauthorize-payment screen for postingtickets employed by exemplary embodiments of the system of FIG. 1according to exemplary embodiments of the present technology.

FIG. 17 is a depiction of a confirmation indicating that tickets havebeen posted employed by exemplary embodiments of the system of FIG. 1according to exemplary embodiments of the present technology.

FIG. 18 is a depiction of an offers screen employed by exemplaryembodiments of the system of FIG. 1 according to exemplary embodimentsof the present technology.

FIG. 19 is a depiction of a submit-offer screen employed by exemplaryembodiments of the system of FIG. 1 according to exemplary embodimentsof the present technology.

FIG. 20 is a depiction of a current-offers screen employed by exemplaryembodiments of the system of FIG. 1 according to exemplary embodimentsof the present technology.

FIG. 21 is a depiction of a negotiation platform employed by exemplaryembodiments of the system of FIG. 1 according to exemplary embodimentsof the present technology.

FIG. 22 is a depiction of a negotiation platform employed by exemplaryembodiments of the system of FIG. 1 according to exemplary embodimentsof the present technology.

FIG. 23 is a depiction of a negotiation platform employed by exemplaryembodiments of the system of FIG. 1 according to exemplary embodimentsof the present technology.

FIG. 24 is a depiction of a confirmation screen employed by exemplaryembodiments of the system of FIG. 1 according to exemplary embodimentsof the present technology.

FIG. 25 is a depiction of a negotiation platform employed by exemplaryembodiments of the system of FIG. 1 according to exemplary embodimentsof the present technology.

FIG. 26 is a depiction of a current-offers screen employed by exemplaryembodiments of the system of FIG. 1 according to exemplary embodimentsof the present technology.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The following detailed description illustrates the technology by way ofexample, not by way of limitation of the principles of the invention.This description will enable one skilled in the art to make and use thetechnology, and describes several embodiments, adaptations, variations,alternatives and uses of the invention, including what is presentlybelieved to be the best mode of carrying out the invention. One skilledin the art will recognize alternative variations and arrangements, andthe present technology is not limited to those embodiments describedhereafter.

The present technology provides an interactive system for exchangingtickets among event-goers, facilitating negotiation with and location ofother users in real-time immediately prior to and even during the event.The system is preferably embodied in an application for mobile devices.In some embodiments, the system is comprised of software code such ascode programmed in Objective-C and/or Swift 2.

Upon initially downloading the application, the new user will beintroduced to the system and given the opportunity to create loginauthentication information. Authentication information preferablyincludes the user's mobile telephone number, but may also oralternatively include a username, password, unique pin, and the like insome embodiments. The system stores the user's authenticationinformation in a user's database in communication with the application.In some embodiments, the user's database may be directly connected orinstead connected with the system over a network. Those skilled in theart will recognize the various available arrangements.

The application will preferably also request access to the mobiledevice's location services and push notification services. Upon openingthe mobile application, the user is presented with the homepage. In someembodiments, the home page includes a list of tickets available forpurchase. In some embodiments, the list is generated based on the user'sgeolocation, ticket search history, or other individualized criteria.Those tickets sold by other users closest to the user are preferablylisted at the top, and the list may be limited to users selling ticketswithin a certain radial distance from the user. In some embodiments, theuser may also enter search parameters seeking tickets to specificevents, event types, dates, seat locations, etc. In such embodiments,the system can update the list of available tickets based on the user'ssearch parameters. The search function is especially useful if the userhas declined to allow the application access to the mobile device'slocation services.

The system generates the ticket list by accessing a tickets database,wherein all the tickets other users have posted for sale are maintained.Like the users database, the tickets database may be directly connectedor instead connected with the system over a network in some embodiments.Those skilled in the art will recognize the various availablearrangements. In some embodiments, the home page may also provide theuser access to a settings menu, a notification display, a user contactoption, and/or a ticket posting option. These examples are intended tobe exemplary and are not intended to limit the present technology, whichmay include additional features and arrangements within the ordinaryknowledge and creativity of those skilled in the art.

In preferable embodiments, the user may select one of the availabletickets from the list to open a tickets details screen, through whichthe user can review details about the ticket selected. Such informationcan include event name, date, and location, number of tickets/seatsavailable from the Seller, how many of the seats are together, locationof the seats, including ticket level, section, seat numbers, etc. Insome embodiments, the Seller may also include a photograph of himselfwith the tickets, preferably from the seats at the event. The photographwill help the Buyer identify the Seller assuming a deal is reached andmay show the Buyer exactly where the seats are, for example how close tothe stage, field, etc. Further, the presence of the Seller in the eventvenue will help to avoid fraud. The Seller's presence in the event venuemay be verified using the Seller's mobile device's geolocation, usinggeotags from the metadata of the photograph taken, or otherwise. Some orall of this information about the tickets may also be presented in theavailable tickets list, in some embodiments.

The tickets detail screen may also include the Seller's initial askingprice for the tickets. If the Buyer is interested, he or she may submitan offer matching the Seller's asking price or offering a differentprice. Once an offer is made, the system will send a notification to theSeller of the pending offer. Notifications are preferably sent throughpush notifications, but may also be delivered by text message, email,social media platforms, or other comparable notification techniques, aswill be recognized by those skilled in the art. In some embodiments,upon submitting an offer, the Buyer will be presented with a displayindicating that the offer is awaiting the Seller's response. In someembodiments, the Buyer will have the ability to withdraw his or heroffer prior to the Seller's response. The Buyer may also have the optionto continue to search and review other available tickets during thiswaiting period, in some embodiments.

The Seller receiving the notification may open his or her mobileapplication and review the offer. Preferably, the Seller has theopportunity to accept, decline, counteroffer, or open a negotiationplatform that will connect the Buyer and Seller for further discussions.If the Seller declines the Buyer's offer, the system may send the Buyera notification of the Seller's refusal, in some embodiments. Decliningthe Buyer's offer will also remove that offer from the offers queueassociated with that ticket, preferably maintained in the ticketsdatabase. If the Seller counters the Buyer's offer, the Buyer will thenhave the opportunity to accept or decline the Seller's counteroffer. Insome embodiments, the application provides the recipient of an offer theopportunity to open a negotiation platform, whereby the Buyer and Sellermay communicate to reach an agreement. In some embodiments, the Sellermay negotiate with multiple potential Buyers simultaneously, and even inthe same communication window in some embodiments, such that the variouspotential Buyers can see what the other Buyers are offering and actaccordingly. Any party may terminate negotiations at any time, whichwould act to withdraw any outstanding offers from consideration.

If the Seller accepts a Buyer's offer, the application preferably opensa communication platform that allows the Buyer and Seller to discussdetails of the exchange, such as where and when to meet. In someembodiments, payment may be made electronically or in person at the timeof the ticket exchange. In some embodiments, electronic payment may onlyoccur when the Buyer and Seller are close by, for example when theirmobile devices are within Bluetooth connection or Near-fieldcommunication (NFC) range. Some embodiments also generate digitaltickets usable to replace the physical tickets being exchanged.

In addition, when an agreement is reached, preferable embodiments of theapplication will facilitate bringing the Buyer and Seller together tomeet. In some embodiments, the application may use the geolocations ofthe Buyer's and Seller's mobile devices to bring the parties together inthe venue. For example, the application might display a map depictingeach's location or a real-time tracking of the distance between the twodevices, in some embodiments. The system may utilize GPS technologyand/or indoor positioning systems, such as Apple's iBeacon, Google'sEddystone, and the like, in such embodiments. Location(s) may also bedetermined and/or confirmed by each of the Buyer and Seller beingconnected to the same Wi-Fi network, such as a Wi-Fi network associatedwith the venue, by geotagging the exchanging parties' photographs of thetickets and/or seats, or other known means. The application alsopreferably displays a unique transaction identification number, or arandomly generated code, on both the Buyer's and Seller's mobiledevices. This ID number will help the Buyer and Seller identify oneanother in crowded environments, and confirm their identities.

Once the transaction has been completed, the Seller will preferablyconfirm the exchange on the application. By confirming the exchange, thesystem can update the tickets database to remove the exchanged tickets,thereby avoiding any additional offers from other users. Duringnegotiation for available tickets, the Seller may be in communicationwith multiple Buyers making multiple offers in some embodiments. Suchoffers may be listed in the offers queue associated with the Seller'stickets. In such embodiments, upon completion of an exchange, the systemmay notify the other potential Buyers that the tickets have been sold.

A user seeking to post tickets for sale may do so by accessing a ticketposting option, preferably from the home screen. If the user has notlogged in, the application will request that he or she do so prior toaccessing the ticket posting option. To post a ticket, the Seller entersinformation about the tickets, preferably including the event name,date, and location, number of tickets/seats available from the Seller,how many of the seats are together, location of the seats, includingticket level, section, seat numbers, etc. In some embodiments, thesystem confirms the Sellers position and that the Seller is located inthe venue before listing. In some embodiments, the Seller may alsoinclude a photograph of himself with the tickets, preferably from theseats at the event. The photograph will help the Buyer identify theSeller assuming a deal is reached and may show the Buyer exactly wherethe seats are, for example how close to the stage, field, etc. Metadatafrom the photograph, including a geotag, may be used by the system toconfirm the Seller's presence inside the venue. In preferableembodiments, the Seller also provides an initial asking price for thetickets, which can be used as a starting point for negotiations withpotential Buyers.

In some embodiments, the system may provide Sellers with a displaylisting all tickets that Seller has listed as available. Such displaywill assist the Seller in tracking the tickets he or she is seeking toexchange. In preferable embodiments, the Seller may select a ticket fromthe list to open the offers queue for that ticket. The offer queuepreferably displays the current offers submitted by other Buyers for theparticular ticket or tickets selected. Selecting an offer from theoffers queue preferably allows the Seller to review the offer andaccept, decline, counter, or negotiate with the Buyer who made theoffer.

Users can also access the user settings menu, which is preferablymaintained through the system's users database. Through the usersettings menu, users can update their user profiles, includingidentifying information, photograph, and preferred payment system. Insome embodiments, the user settings menu can access further information,such as the user's history of exchanging tickets, current and pasttickets the user posted, offered, and/or exchanged, and other applicableinformation. Those skilled in the art will recognize availablealterations to the features and arrangements presented, which are notintended to limit the scope of the present technology.

Referring now to FIG. 1, a schematic representation of a systemaccording to exemplary embodiments of the present technology isdepicted. As shown, the Buyer's mobile device 101 and Seller's mobiledevice 103 are in electronic communication with the system's computingdevice 105, preferably over a network 107 such as the internet. Thecomputing device 105 is also in electronic communication with a ticketsdatabase 109 and a users database 111. As previously noted, thedatabases may be directly connected to the computing device 105,connected over a network 107, or otherwise connected. The users database111 stores information about the authenticated users of the system whilethe tickets database 109 stores information about the tickets posted forsale. The computing device 105 maintains and updates the databases usingdatabase maintenance software 113, for example, when new users join ornew tickets are posted for sale.

In preferable embodiments, the computing device 105 employs ticketsinformation software 115 for generating data about available ticketsfrom the tickets database 109 and sending that data to the users. Insome embodiments, the tickets data 117 is generated on the basis of theuser's geolocation 119 (e.g., in a particular venue). In someembodiments, the tickets data may be generated and/or updated based onsearch parameters 121 received from the user's mobile device. Inpreferable embodiments, the tickets data 117 is presented to the user'smobile device in the form of a list of available tickets sorted based ongeolocation 119 or search parameters 121, as the case may be. In someembodiments, the list of available tickets is presented to the user onthe application's home page.

A user seeking tickets may select a ticket from the list, review itsdetails, and submit an offer if he or she is interested. The Buyer'smobile device 101 generates the offer 123 using offer generationsoftware 125 and sends it to the computing device 105, preferably overthe network 107. Upon receipt of an offer 123, the computing device 105generates and sends a notification 127 to the Seller of the ticket(s)using notification generation software 129. Preferably, the notification127 is sent via a push notification. However, other forms ofnotification, including text message, email, social media platforms, andthe like, are available and well-known by those skilled in the art.

Upon receipt of the notification 127, the Seller can access theapplication on his or her mobile device 103 to review the terms offered.In preferable embodiments, the offer 123 is added to an offers queuethat lists all the offers available for the associated ticket(s). TheSeller can then select the offer 123 and choose to decline, accept,counter, or negotiate with the Buyer. Response generation software 131on the Seller's mobile device sends the Seller's response 133 to thecomputing device 105 through the network 107. The computing device 105takes appropriate action depending upon the Seller's response 133. Forexample, if the Seller declines the offer 123, preferable embodiments ofthe system will send the Buyer a notification 127 that the Seller hasdeclined the offer 123. If the Seller has countered, preferableembodiments of the system will send the Buyer a notification 127 of theSeller's counteroffer. If the Seller (or Buyer in response to acounteroffer) wishes to open a negotiation discussion, the computingdevice 105 can generate a negotiation platform using negotiationplatform software 135 to facilitate further discussions between theBuyer and Seller. Any party may terminate negotiations at any time,which would act to withdraw any outstanding offers from consideration.

When an agreement is reached, the Seller notifies the computing device105 of acceptance of an offer 123, and the computing device 105 updatesthe tickets database 109 to remove the exchanged tickets from theavailable tickets queue, in preferable embodiments. The computing device105 also preferably generates and sends to both Buyer and Seller aunique transaction identification number 137 using transactionidentification number generation software 139. The transactionidentification number 137 is displayed on both Buyer's and Seller'smobile devices using transaction identification number display software141 to assist each to locate the other in crowded environments, as manyevents are, and confirm their identities. In some embodiments, thecomputing device 105 also employs geolocation comparing software 143 toupdate both Buyer and Seller with the other's geolocation 119 (e.g.,within the venue), further assisting the parties to finalize theexchange.

With the present technology's assistance, the Buyer and Seller can cometogether face to face to exchange the tickets and, in some cases,payment. In preferable embodiments, payment may also or alternatively bemade by the Buyer to the Seller electronically through the applicationusing known methods and technologies, including credit cardtransactions, electronic bank transfers, PayPal, and the like.

In preferable embodiments, users' mobile devices also employauthentication software 145 to log into the system and verify the users'credentials as well as geolocation software 147 to update the computingdevice with the users' geolocations 119. In some embodiments, Sellerscannot post listings and/or Buyer's cannot respond to listings unlessthey are confirmed to be within the venue for which the tickets areapplicable. Users' presence in the venue may be determined based ontheir mobile devices' geolocations 119, based on geotagging metadataassociated with photographs taken depicting the tickets offered forexchange, and/or other known means. In some embodiments, the buyer'smobile device 101 also employs ticket search software 149 for generatingsearch parameters 121 and the seller's mobile device 103 also employsticket posting software 151 for generating and sending ticket info 153to the computing device 105.

The features and arrangements depicted in FIG. 1 are exemplary andshould not be interpreted to limit the present technology's scope, whichincludes all alterations within the ordinary knowledge and creativity ofthose skilled in the art.

FIG. 2 depicts, schematically, the steps of a method for posting ticketsfor sale according to exemplary embodiments of the present technologyusing the exemplary system depicted in FIG. 1. To post a ticket, aSeller first must enter his or her authentication information 205 tologin to the system. The computing device 203 receives theauthentication information and compares it with the user database toensure authentication 207. In some embodiments, the Seller's mobiledevice 201 also identifies and shares its geolocation 209 with thecomputing device. In such embodiments, the geolocation of the Seller'smobile device 201 is preferably updated regularly and in real-time. Insome embodiments, the Seller is unable to post a ticket if his/herlocation is not confirmed to be within the venue associated with theticket, using geolocation identification, geotagging metadata, or otherknown means.

Once the Seller has logged into the system, he or she may access theticket posting option, from the home screen in preferable embodiments.The Seller then enters information about the tickets he or she wishes topost 211, preferably including the event name, date, and location,number of tickets/seats available from the Seller, how many of the seatsare together, location of the seats, including ticket level, section,seat numbers, etc. In some embodiments, the Seller may also include aphotograph of himself with the tickets, preferably from the seats at theevent. The photograph will help the Buyer identify the Seller assuming adeal is reached and may show the Buyer exactly where the seats are, forexample how close to the stage, field, etc. Metadata from thephotograph, including a geotag and data and time stamps, may be used bythe system to confirm the Seller's presence inside the venue. Inpreferable embodiments, the Seller also provides an initial asking pricefor the tickets, which can be used as a starting point for negotiationswith potential Buyers.

Upon receipt of the ticket information 213, the computing device 203updates the tickets database 215 to include the newly posted tickets.Thereby, the newly posted tickets will be listed in the tickets list inthe application for nearby users and available for search by other usersinterested in the event, date, venue, etc. Potential Buyers can viewinformation about the ticket and, if applicable, the photograph of theSeller and/or tickets via their mobile devices. The system then awaitssubmission of an offer from a Buyer interested in the Seller's tickets217. Upon receipt of such an offer, the computing device 203 generates anotification 219 and sends it to the Seller 221 indicating the Buyer'soffer. In preferable embodiments, the computing device 203 also updatesthe offers queue 223 for the associated ticket so that the Seller canreview and compare multiple offers simultaneously. Upon reviewing theoffer, preferably through the offers queue 225, the Seller can decidewhether to accept, decline, counter, or negotiate with the Buyer. TheSeller's response 227 is sent over the network to the computing device203, which receives the response 229 reacts based on the nature of theSeller's response.

If the Seller has declined the Buyer's offer, the computing devicepreferably updates the offers queue to remove that offer 231 from theSeller's tickets. In some embodiments, the computing device also sendsthe Buyer a notification that the Seller has declined the offer. If theSeller counters or wishes to negotiate, the computing device can sendthe Buyer the counteroffer and, in preferable embodiments, launch anegotiation platform 233 which facilitates further discussion betweenthe Buyer and Seller 235.

Once the Seller accepts the Buyer's offer, either immediately followingreceipt of the offer or after further negotiations/counteroffers 235,the computing device preferably updates the tickets database to removethe exchanged tickets from the available tickets queue and generates aunique transaction identification number 237, which it sends to both theBuyer and Seller, to assist the parties in locating one another incrowded event venues to complete the exchange. The Buyer's and Seller'smobile devices will display the unique transaction identification number239. In some embodiments, the computing device also compares thegeolocations of the Buyer's and Seller's mobile devices 241 to furtherassist each in locating the other and/or confirm that both are withinthe venue. The computing device can send geolocation information 241 inthe form of a map, geographical distance calculator, or the like, whichis likewise displayed to the Buyer and Seller 243. Those skilled in theart will recognize other available techniques for relaying geolocationdata.

The steps and interactions depicted in FIG. 2 are exemplary and shouldnot be interpreted to limit the present technology's scope, whichincludes all alterations within the ordinary knowledge and creativity ofthose skilled in the art.

FIG. 3 depicts, schematically, the steps of a method for buying ticketsaccording to exemplary embodiments of the present technology using theexemplary system depicted in FIG. 1. The Buyer preferably first entershis or her authentication information 305 to login to the system. Thecomputing device 303 receives the authentication information andcompares it with the user database to ensure authentication 307. Inpreferable embodiments, the Buyer's mobile device 301 sends itsgeolocation 309 to the computing device, and the computing devicegenerates a list of available tickets 311 posted by Sellers within adefined radial distance from the Buyer's mobile device's geolocation(e.g., within the venue where the Buyer is located). In someembodiments, the Buyer may also send search parameters 313, such asevent name, type, date, location, etc. The computing device 303 may usethose search parameters to generate an available tickets list 311 moreuseful to the Buyer.

The Buyer can then view information about the available tickets and, ifapplicable, photographs of the Sellers and/or tickets via their mobiledevices. If the Buyer sees a ticket he or she is interested inpurchasing 313, he or she can send an offer to purchase 315 that ticketto the computing device 303. Preferably, the Seller of the ticket is inclose proximity to the Buyer at the time of the offer. Even morepreferably, the Buyer and Seller are both at the event venue. A user'spresence at the venue may be confirmed by his or her mobile device'sgeolocation, using geotag metadata from the user's photographs of his orher tickets, or other known methods. Upon receiving the Buyer's offer317, the computing device 303 identifies the Seller 319 of the ticketand sends the Seller a notification 321 of the Buyer's offer. Thecomputing device 303 then awaits a response from the Seller 323, whichmay relay that the Seller accepts, declines, counters, or wishes tonegotiate with the Buyer. If the Seller has declined the offer, thecomputing device preferably sends the Buyer a notification that theoffer was declined 325. If the Seller counters or wishes to negotiate,the computing device 303 preferably sends the Buyer the Seller'scounteroffer and/or launches a negotiation platform 327 to facilitatefurther discussions between the Buyer and Seller 329.

Once the Seller accepts the Buyer's offer, either immediately followingreceipt of the offer or after further negotiations and/or counteroffers,the computing device 303 preferably updates the tickets database toremove the exchanged tickets from the available tickets queue andgenerates a unique transaction identification number 331, which it sendsto both the Buyer and Seller, to assist the parties in locating oneanother in crowded event venues to complete the exchange.

The Buyer's and Seller's mobile devices display the unique transactionidentification number 333 which the parties can display to locate oneanother and/or confirm their identities. In some embodiments, thecomputing device 303 also compares the geolocations of the Buyer's andSeller's mobile devices 335 to further assist each in locating theother. The computing device 303 can send geolocation information in theform of a map, geographical distance calculator, or the like, which islikewise displayed to the Buyer and Seller 337. Those skilled in the artwill recognize other available techniques for relaying geolocation data.

The steps and interactions depicted in FIG. 3 are exemplary and shouldnot be interpreted to limit the present technology's scope, whichincludes all alterations within the ordinary knowledge and creativity ofthose skilled in the art.

FIG. 4 depicts, schematically, the steps of an exemplary method forauthenticating a user attempting to access a system employing thepresent technology. The system receives an authentication attempt 401from the user. In some embodiments, only the user's mobile phone numberis required to authenticate the user. In some embodiments, additional oralternative information, such as user name and/or other profileinformation, may be used to authenticate. Upon receipt of the user'sauthentication information, the system sends a pin 403 over the networkto the user's mobile device. The pin may be sent by any known method,including text message, email, data transfer, etc.

The system also requests access to the mobile device's GPS 405 andrequests use of the mobile device's notification system 407. Certainembodiments of the system use GPS access for various functions,including populating listed ticket offerings, verifying a user'spresence at a venue location, and assisting users who have agreed toexchange tickets in locating one another. Likewise, embodiments of thesystem use access to the mobile device's notification system for variousfunctions, including notifying a user of a new ticket listing, notifyinga Seller of an offer on one or more tickets the Seller listed, andfacilitating discussions using the system's negotiation platform.Notifications may be sent as push notifications in some embodiments orthrough other known methods, such as text or data messages or via email.Upon receiving the user's pin, the system authenticates the user byverifying the pin 409 and then grants the user access to the system. Insome embodiments, the system launches a home screen 411 uponauthentication of the user. In some embodiments, a user may use settingsto determine what screen he or she wants to see upon authentication,such as a list of tickets available nearby, etc. The pin authenticationmethod depicted in FIG. 4 helps to ensure that actual human users areaccessing the system and to avoid use of the system by “bots,” as willbe understood by those of ordinary skill in the art.

FIG. 5 depicts, schematically, the steps of an exemplary method forselling tickets using a system employing the present technology. Thesystem first accepts a user's log-in 413 authentication information uponwhich the user is granted access to the system. The user then providesand the system receives details about the tickets 415 the user isseeking to sell. In some embodiments, ticket details may include eventname, date of event, number of tickets, whether or not the tickets areseated together, level, section, row, seat number, box number, and/orasking price. In some embodiments, the system also requires a photographof the tickets themselves and a photograph of the owner of the ticketsinside the venue or, in some embodiments, in the seats themselves. Insuch embodiments, metadata tags verifying the photograph was takeninside the venue and on the day of the event may be used to protectagainst violations of “scalping” laws and venue policies.

Upon receiving the photographs of the tickets and their owner in theseats 417 and verifying the Seller's location is in the venue 419, thesystem requests that the Seller preauthorize a payment in order to postthe tickets 421, in some embodiments. Location of the Seller may bedetermined by geolocation of the phone and/or the system analyzinggeotags in the photograph. The system may also utilize GPS technologyand/or indoor positioning systems, such as Apple's iBeacon, Google'sEddystone, and the like, in such embodiments. In some embodiments, anddepending on particular users' settings, the system may sendnotifications to potentially interested Buyers via push notifications,text message, email, or the like. For example, the system might targetusers whose mobile device geolocations indicate that they are at thevenue and might therefore be interested in purchasing the newly listedtickets. The system can then receive offers 423 from interested Buyers,in some embodiments notify the Seller of new offers, again using pushnotifications, text messages, email, or other known methods, and displaythe offers on the Seller's mobile device 425. The system then recognizeswhen a Seller has selected an offer to view 427 and can facilitatenegotiations by launching the negotiation platform to connect theparties 429. Upon agreement between the Buyer and Seller, the systemreceives acceptance of an offer 431 and processes a payment 433 from theBuyer to the Seller for the tickets, in some embodiments. The system mayalso generate a unique transaction code 435 and display the code on bothBuyer and Seller mobile devices 437 to help facilitate the partiesmeeting to exchange the tickets. As those of ordinary skill in the artwill recognize, this is just one of many methods of employing thepresent technology to facilitate a ticket sale.

FIG. 6 depicts, schematically, the steps of an exemplary method forbuying tickets using a system employing the present technology. Thesystem first accepts a user's log-in 439 authentication information uponwhich the user is granted access to the system. The system thendetermines the user's location 441, preferably using geolocationtechnology from the user's mobile device. Geolocation may also bedetermined using iBeacon or other known methods, as will be understoodby those of ordinary skill in the art. In some embodiments, the systemrequires the buyer to take and upload a photograph of themselves in thevenue from which the buyer's location can be visually inspected and thesystem can analyze geotag information of the photograph. The system canthen display available tickets 443 that the user might be interested in.In some embodiments, the list may be populated only with ticketsavailable at the venue the Buyer is currently at. In some embodiments,tickets within a certain geographic radius of the user might be listed.In some embodiments, the user can provide search criteria to the systemto find tickets the user is interested in. Ticket information ispreferably stored in the tickets database, which is preferablysearchable by the users using the system.

The system detects when a user selects one or more tickets 445 from theavailable tickets list. The system also enables the user to make anoffer for the tickets. In some embodiments, if the Seller has listed anasking price, the Buyer may be permitted to complete the sale simply byoffering the amount requested by the Seller. In other embodiments, aBuyer may be required to make the initial offer, which the Seller isthen able to accept, decline, or counter. Upon receiving the details ofa Buyer's offer 447, the system transmits the offer 449 to the Seller ofthe tickets in question. In some cases, the Seller may have multipleoffers, and the system preferably displays the offers to the Seller inlist form. The Seller can then select an offer 451 and perform severalactions, including accepting, declining, countering, or negotiating withthe Buyer through the system's negotiation platform. In someembodiments, the system will then notify the Buyer 453 of the Seller'sinterest in the offer. And the system can connect the Buyer and Seller455 through the negotiation platform to finalize the transaction.

Upon receipt of the parties' agreement and the acceptance of an offer457, the system will process payment 459, in some embodiments, andgenerate 461 and display 463 a unique transaction code on both Buyer andSeller devices. This unique transaction code helps the parties to locateone another in large, crowded venues, as is common at a concert, show,sporting event, etc. Some embodiments of the system further assist theparties in locating one another by comparing the geolocations of theirmobile devices. The system can assist using geolocation information inthe form of a map, geographical distance calculator, or the like, whichis displayed on Buyer and Seller mobile devices along with the uniquetransaction code.

FIG. 7 depicts a sign-in page for a mobile application employingexemplary embodiments of the present technology. FIG. 8 depicts asign-up page for a mobile application employing exemplary embodiments ofthe present technology. New users can create a profile with informationabout themselves, preferably including their name, number, e-mail,password, and an identifiable image. The information is preferablystored in the users database. FIG. 10 depicts a pin code verificationpage for a mobile application employing exemplary embodiments of thepresent technology. As discussed with respect to FIG. 4, the pin codeauthentication process helps to prevent use of the system by “bots.”

FIG. 9 depicts a request for access to push notification and GPSservices from the user's mobile device by a mobile application employingexemplary embodiments of the present technology. Push notifications maybe used, in some embodiments, to notify users of newly posted tickets,offers on tickets the user posted for sale, acceptance, rejection, andcounters to an offer, etc. Push notifications are the preferred methodof notification. GPS information is used in preferable embodiments foridentifying users' locations, identifying tickets available for a venuea user is currently at, facilitating the physical exchange of ticketsonce the parties have completed a transaction, etc. Other locationidentification methods can be used as well, including indoor positioningsystems, such as Apple's iBeacon, Google's Eddystone, and the like,geotagging on user photographs, etc. Those of ordinary skill in the artwill recognize other alternatives, applications, and arrangements aswell. In some embodiments, the request for access also obtains access tothe user's camera for use with the system. In some embodiments, thesystem prevents access to stored photographs during use of the system toensure that, during an exchange transaction, photographs are taken livein the venue for visual and geotag location verification purposes.

FIG. 11 depicts a home page or “menu” for a mobile application employingexemplary embodiments of the present technology. Preferable embodimentswill allow users to search for tickets, post tickets for sale, reviewoffers for tickets they posted for sale, update their user profiles,etc. FIG. 12 depicts an available tickets page for a mobile applicationemploying exemplary embodiments of the present technology. Preferableembodiments provide information about the available tickets, includingevent, venue, date of event, number of tickets, whether the tickets areseated together, seat level, section, row, seat number, and box number,if applicable, and Seller asking price. In some instances, a Seller maybe seeking to exchange tickets with another attendee rather than simplyselling his or her own tickets. Such information is also preferablyprovided on the available tickets page, as depicted in FIG. 12.

FIG. 13 depicts a post tickets page for a mobile application employingexemplary embodiments of the present technology. Preferable embodimentsinclude information about the event, venue, event date, number oftickets, whether the tickets are seated together, seat level, section,row, seat number, and box number, if applicable, and the Seller's askingprice. In some embodiments, the Seller can also indicate that he or sheis seeking a ticket exchange rather than just selling his or her owntickets.

FIGS. 14 and 15 depict a part of the ticket posting process according toexemplary embodiments of the present technology. Preferably, the mobileapplication employing the present technology receives photographs of thetickets and/or the Seller present in the seats at the venue. In thismanner, the Buyer can verify the Seller's legitimacy and see the seatsthemselves and the view of the stage, field, etc. at the time ofpurchase. In addition, in some embodiments, metadata from thephotographs, such as geotags and date and time stamps, may be used bythe system to verify the Seller's presence at the venue at the time thetickets are posted. Such embodiments also help to ensure the Seller isnot in violation of “scalping” laws or policies.

FIG. 16 depicts a preauthorize payment page for a mobile applicationemploying exemplary embodiments of the present technology. The Seller ispreferably presented with this page upon submitting tickets for sale. Ifthe tickets are ultimately sold through the application, the systemcharges the Seller's credit card, a $5 charge in the instance depicted.This charge is retained by the system or system administrator as a feefor using the system, while the payment for the tickets goes directly tothe Seller. No charge will occur until a sale has completed, butpreferable embodiments require the Seller's preauthorization of thatcharge to successfully post the tickets. As depicted in FIG. 17, theSeller's tickets “go live” upon submission of the Seller's credit cardinformation through the preauthorize payment page on the mobileapplication. In preferable embodiments, the system sends notificationsto other users that new tickets have been posted, in the form of pushnotifications, text messages, emails, or otherwise.

FIG. 18 depicts an offers page for a mobile application employingexemplary embodiments of the present technology. In the depictedsituation, the Seller's posted tickets are reflected at the top and nooffer has yet been received. In preferable embodiments, the system sendsthe Seller a notification upon receipt of an offer on the Seller'stickets. FIG. 19 depicts a page for a potential Buyer to make an offeron tickets using a mobile application employing exemplary embodiments ofthe present technology. Preferable embodiments of the depicted offerplatform allow the potential Buyer to set an offer amount, relay amessage to the Seller, and offer the Buyer's own ticket(s) in exchangefor those the Seller is selling, as depicted. In some embodiments, if apotential Buyer is offering to exchange his or her own tickets, theapplication may seek photographs of the Buyer's tickets and the Buyer inhis or her seats at the venue. Such embodiments helps to ensure theBuyer's legitimacy in the tickets he or she is offering for exchange andpreferably help to ensure the Buyer is not in violation of “scalping”laws or policies by confirming the Buyer's presence at the venue at thetime he or she offers the exchange.

FIG. 20 depicts an updated offers page for a mobile applicationemploying exemplary embodiments of the present technology, in thisinstance including several offers for the Seller's tickets. Preferableembodiments include information about the offers themselves, includingthe offered price, any message from the potential Buyer, and if theBuyer is offering any tickets in exchange. As noted, preferableembodiments of the application notify the Seller upon receipt of anyoffer on tickets the Seller has posted. Notifications are preferablypresented using push notifications on the Seller's mobile device but mayalso or alternatively be sent via text message, email, or other means.To review an offer, the Seller may select it using the mobile device'spointing device, which preferably launches an offer review page throughwhich the Seller can accept, decline, or counter the offer or open theapplication's negotiation platform.

Preferable embodiments also allow the Seller to swipe left or right onan offer to display options, as depicted. In the depicted instance,swiping Kevin's offer to the left has provided the Seller with theoption to “delete” the offer while swiping Michael's offer to the righthas given the Seller the option to launch the negotiation platform. Asthose of skill in the art will recognize, other options for swipingright or left are also possible, such as an option to “accept” the offeras presented or counter the offer. In preferable embodiments, selectingthe “delete” option acts to decline the Buyer's offer, which preferableinitiates a notification from the application to the Buyer that his orher offer has been declined. Likewise, selecting an “accept” optionwould act to complete the sale, notify the Buyer that his or her offerwas accepted, and launch the application's confirmation screen.

FIG. 21 depicts a negotiation platform for a mobile applicationemploying exemplary embodiments of the present technology. Uponreceiving an offer, the Seller may launch the negotiation platform tofinalize the deal with the Buyer. As depicted, the negotiation platformalso preferably includes options to “accept” or “decline” afternegotiations have concluded. A party's decision to accept or decline maybe indicated by selecting a dialog box, as depicted, by swiping themobile device's screen in one direction or another, etc. Those ofordinary skill in the art will recognize other available methods forindicating a party's decision.

Some embodiments include particular communication options, as depictedat the bottom of FIG. 21. Some embodiments permit the users to chatthrough the negotiation platform as well. Once the parties have reachedan agreement, the negotiation platform preferably provides Buyer andSeller information about the other party to the transaction, as depictedin FIGS. 22 and 23. The Seller's negotiation window (FIG. 22) preferablydisplays the Buyer's photograph as well as the Buyer's current seatinformation at the venue, if applicable. The Buyer's negotiation window(FIG. 23) preferably displays the photographs the Seller took of thetickets and of the Seller at the seats in the venue. If the Buyer hasoffered his or her own tickets in exchange, the photographs of theBuyer's tickets and of the Buyer at the seats in the venue arepreferably included in the same manner as the Seller's photographs.

Having completed the exchange, the mobile application employingexemplary embodiments of the present technology preferably launches aconfirmation screen on both the Buyer and Seller mobile devices, asdepicted in FIG. 24. The confirmation screen preferably includes aunique transaction ID number to assist the parties in locating oneanother in large and crowded venues. The number may be a transactionnumber, and randomly generated code provided to the mobile phones oreach user, or both. Preferable embodiments may also include other meansof facilitating the exchange of tickets, including geolocationinformation in the form of a map, geographical distance calculator, orthe like. Those of ordinary skill in the art will recognize additionalfeatures available to assist the parties in locating each other usingmobile device technology.

FIG. 25 depicts a negotiation platform for a mobile applicationemploying exemplary embodiments of the present technology. In thisinstance, the parties have reached an agreement on exchanging tickets,rather than just a sale from one party to the other. Preferableembodiments of the negotiation platform would include photographs andticket information from both parties in such instances, as depicted.FIG. 26 depicts an offers page for a mobile application employingexemplary embodiments of the present technology. In this instance, theSeller has received several offers for the posted tickets. As depicted,preferable embodiments provide the Seller with information about thestatus of the various offers. Preferable embodiments of the mobileapplication will generate notifications for an activity with respect toa potential Buyer's offer. For example, a Buyer is notified if his orher offer is declined or countered. A notification is also generated ifa Buyer's offer is accepted. Preferable embodiments would also generatea notification for other potential Buyers upon a Sellers acceptance ofan offer to indicate that the tickets are no longer available.Preferable embodiments also update the system upon acceptance of anoffer to remove the tickets from the list of available tickets.Preferably, the sold tickets are removed from the system's ticketsdatabase or flagged in some manner to indicate that they are no longeravailable for purchase. The mobile application employing the presenttechnology thus facilitates ticket exchanges amongst users in anefficient and effective manner.

Additional screenshots depicting aspects of a mobile applicationemploying exemplary embodiments of the present technology are includedin Provisional Patent Application Ser. Nos. 62/366,386 and 62/501,898,which are hereby expressly incorporated herein by reference.

While the present technology has been described with reference toparticular embodiments and arrangements of parts, features, and thelike, the present technology is not limited to these embodiments orarrangements. Indeed, many modifications and variations will beascertainable to those of skill in the art, all of which areinferentially included in these teachings.

What is claimed is:
 1. A system for exchanging or selling event tickets,comprising: a database; a computing device, said computing device incommunication with at least one seller's mobile device and at least onebuyer's mobile device via a network; a tickets information moduleexecuting on said computing device for posting tickets for attending anevent in a venue, searching available tickets for the event, andprocessing offers and responses; and a geolocation information moduleexecuting on said computing device for tracking geolocations of the atleast one seller's mobile device and the at least one buyer's mobiledevice, wherein the geolocation information module tracks and verifies,in real-time, that the at least one seller's mobile device and at leastone buyer's mobile device are located within the venue of the event at asame time before permitting a transaction for an exchange or sale oftickets for the event; wherein the tickets information module receivesavailable-tickets information from the at least one seller's mobiledevice over the network while the at least one seller is within thevenue to attend the event, and the tickets information module displaysthe available-tickets information on the at least one buyer's mobiledevice while the at least one seller is within the venue to attend theevent.
 2. The system of claim 1, further comprising a confirmationplatform module executing on said computing device for facilitating theexchange or sale of the tickets, the confirmation platform modulecalculating a geographical distance between the at least one buyer andthe at least one seller and generating a digital map reflecting thegeolocations of the at least one buyer and the at least one sellerwithin the venue; wherein at least one of the geographical distance orthe digital map is displayed on the at least one seller's mobile deviceor the at least one buyer's mobile device; and wherein at least one ofthe geographical distance or the digital map is updated in real-time. 3.The system of claim 1, wherein the tickets information module receives,over the network, offer information from the at least one buyer's mobiledevice and receives response information from the at least one seller'smobile device; wherein, when the response information comprises arejection of the offer information, a notification module generates andsends a rejection notification informing the at least one buyer of theseller's rejection of the offer information, and a database maintenancemodule updates the offer information in the database, when the responseinformation comprises counteroffer information, the database maintenancemodule stores the counteroffer information in the database, thenotifications module generates a counteroffer notification containingthe counteroffer information and sends the notification to the at leastone buyer's mobile device, and the tickets information module displaysthe counteroffer information on the at least one buyer's mobile device,when the response information comprises a request to negotiate, thenotifications module generates and sends the at least one buyer anotification informing the buyer of the seller's request to negotiate,and a negotiation platform module launches a negotiation platform, orwhen the response information comprises an acceptance of the offerinformation, the notifications module generates and sends a notificationindicating the at least buyer of the seller's acceptance of the offerinformation, the database maintenance module updates theavailable-tickets information in the database, and a confirmationplatform module launches a confirmation platform to facilitate anexchange of tickets.
 4. The system of claim 1, further comprising anegotiations platform module for facilitating negotiations between theat least one buyer and the at least one seller, wherein the negotiationsplatform module generates offer information and response to offerinformation, and wherein the negotiations platform module includes atext-based interaction platform accessible via the network on each ofthe seller's mobile device and the buyer's mobile device.
 5. The systemof claim 4, wherein when the response to offer information comprises anacceptance, the tickets information module processes payment from the atleast one buyer to the at least one seller.
 6. The method of claim 1,wherein the database comprises a tickets database for storing ticketsinformation and a users database for storing user information concerningthe at least one buyer and the at least one seller.
 7. A method forexchanging or selling event tickets, comprising the steps of:authenticating one or more users, including at least one seller and atleast one buyer; receiving geolocation information from mobile devicesof the at least one seller and the at least one buyer over a network;receiving available-tickets information for attending an event in avenue from the at least one seller over the network while the at leastone seller is within the venue to attend the event; verifying that theat least one seller's location is within the venue associated with theavailable-tickets information using the geolocation information; storingthe available-tickets information in a database upon verifying that theat least one seller's location is within the venue associated with theavailable-tickets information; verifying the at least one buyer'slocation is within the venue at a same time as the at least one sellerusing the geolocation information; retrieving the available-ticketsinformation from the database and sending the available-ticketsinformation to the at least one buyer over the network; receiving offerinformation from the at least one buyer over the network while the atleast one buyer is within the venue to attend the event; generating anoffer notification and sending the offer notification to the at leastone seller over the network; and receiving a response to offer from theat least one seller over the network and sending the response to offerto the at least one buyer over the network.
 8. The method of claim 7,further comprising a step of processing the response to offer including:when the response to offer comprises rejection information, sending arejection notification to the at least one buyer that the at least oneseller rejected the offer; when the response to offer comprisescounteroffer information, sending a counteroffer notification to the atleast one buyer containing the counteroffer information; when theresponse to offer comprises request to negotiate information, launchinga negotiations platform; or when the response to offer comprisesacceptance information, sending an acceptance notification to the atleast one buyer that the at least one seller accepted the offer,updating the available-tickets information in the database, andlaunching a confirmation platform to facilitate an exchange of tickets.9. The method of claim 8, wherein the confirmation platform generates aunique transaction code for display on the mobile devices of the atleast one seller and the at least one buyer.
 10. The method of claim 8,wherein the negotiations platform comprises a text-based interactionplatform.
 11. The method of claim 7, further comprising the steps of:comparing the geolocation information from the mobile devices of the atleast one buyer and the at least one seller; generating a geographicaldistance by comparing the geolocations of the mobile devices of the atleast one buyer and the at least one seller; and displaying thegeographical distance on the mobile devices of the at least one buyerand the at least one seller, and updating the geographical distance inreal-time.
 12. The method of claim 7, further comprising the steps of:comparing the geolocation information from the mobile devices of the atleast one buyer and the at least one seller; generating a digital mapreflecting the geolocations of the mobile devices of the at least onebuyer and the at least one seller; and displaying the digital map on themobile devices of the at least one buyer and the at least one seller,and updating the digital map in real-time.
 13. The method of claim 7,wherein the available-tickets information further comprises at least oneof event information, event date information, event venue information,seat information comprising seat level, seat section, seat row, seatnumber, and box number, and asking-price information.
 14. The method ofclaim 7, wherein the offer information comprises at least one ofoffer-price information, a text-based message, and exchange-ticketinformation comprising one or more photographs, event information, eventdate information, event venue information, and seat informationcomprising seat level, seat section, seat row, seat number, and boxnumber.
 15. The method of claim 7, wherein the database storesavailable-ticket information and user information, wherein the databasecomprises a tickets database and a users database, the tickets databasestoring available-ticket information and the users database storing userinformation.
 16. The method of claim 7, further comprising the step of:processing payment from the at least one buyer to the at least oneseller when the response to offer comprises an acceptance.
 17. A systemfor exchanging or selling event tickets, comprising: a computing device,said computing device in communication with at least one seller's mobiledevice and at least one buyer's mobile device via a network; saidcomputing device comprising a geolocation information module fordetermining geolocations of the one or more mobile devices and a ticketsinformation module for posting tickets for attending an event in a venueand searching available tickets for the event; wherein the ticketsinformation module receives available-tickets information from theseller's mobile device while the at least one seller is within the venueto attend the event; wherein the available-tickets information is storedin a database and accessible via the network for display on the buyer'smobile device; wherein the geolocation information module verifies thatthe geolocations of the seller's mobile device and the buyer's mobiledevice are within the venue at a same time to attend the event as aprerequisite to facilitating an exchange or sale of the tickets.
 18. Thesystem of claim 17, wherein the confirmation platform generates a uniquecode accessible via the network for display on each of the seller'smobile device and the buyer's mobile device.
 19. The system of claim 17,wherein the available-tickets information includes a photograph receivedin response to the at least one seller being prompted via the seller'smobile device to take the photograph using the seller's mobile devicewhile the at least one seller is within the venue to attend the event.20. The system of claim 19, wherein the geolocation information moduleverifies the geolocation of the seller's mobile device and receives atimestamp by extracting metadata from the photograph.